Young Voters and the Power of Political Internet Culture: An Exploration of Political Websites and Political Engagement

This thesis examines how far the use of online political information like political news websites, social networking sites, and online political humor websites relate to young adults\u27 intention to vote, political knowledge, political efficacy, and having political discussions with parents and friends. To better understand these relationships the O-S-O-R model (e.g., Cho, Shah, Mcleod, McLeod, Scholl, Gotlieb, 2009 McLeod, Kosicki, and McLeod, 1994) will be used as the theoretical framework. The survey data for this study was collected during the exciting and noteworthy 2008 Presidential Primary elections. Young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 years of age were asked questions related to their attention to political news information and the 2008 Primary Election. Measures include traditional media use, online political information, political discussions with parents and friends, political efficacy, political participation, political knowledge and political interest. Results show that, social networking sites (SNS) did not prove to be an important means for political information for young adults, during the 2008 Ohio Presidential Primary Election, despite the overwhelming attention they received. Second, television news remains a significant predictor of political efficacy, likelihood to vote and having political discussions with parents and friends. Third, political interest continues to be a driving force in young adults\u27 political engagement and interpersonal political communication. Additionally, participants between the ages of 18 and 24 years of age show frequent use of SNS (social networking sites) for political and campaign information more than those participants 25 to 29 years of age. Also, those 25 to 29 years of age are more likely to use news like websites for information more than younger young adults. Finally, results from this study support the O-S-O-R model in understanding young adults\u27 intention to vote, political discussions with parents and friends, political efficacy, and political k

Young Voters and the Power of Political Internet Culture: An Exploration of Political Websites and Political Engagement

This thesis examines how far the use of online political information like political news websites, social networking sites, and online political humor websites relate to young adults\u27 intention to vote, political knowledge, political efficacy, and having political discussions with parents and friends. To better understand these relationships the O-S-O-R model (e.g., Cho, Shah, Mcleod, McLeod, Scholl, Gotlieb, 2009 McLeod, Kosicki, and McLeod, 1994) will be used as the theoretical framework. The survey data for this study was collected during the exciting and noteworthy 2008 Presidential Primary elections. Young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 years of age were asked questions related to their attention to political news information and the 2008 Primary Election. Measures include traditional media use, online political information, political discussions with parents and friends, political efficacy, political participation, political knowledge and political interest. Results show that, social networking sites (SNS) did not prove to be an important means for political information for young adults, during the 2008 Ohio Presidential Primary Election, despite the overwhelming attention they received. Second, television news remains a significant predictor of political efficacy, likelihood to vote and having political discussions with parents and friends. Third, political interest continues to be a driving force in young adults\u27 political engagement and interpersonal political communication. Additionally, participants between the ages of 18 and 24 years of age show frequent use of SNS (social networking sites) for political and campaign information more than those participants 25 to 29 years of age. Also, those 25 to 29 years of age are more likely to use news like websites for information more than younger young adults. Finally, results from this study support the O-S-O-R model in understanding young adults\u27 intention to vote, political discussions with parents and friends, political efficacy, and political k

Young Voters and the Power of Political Internet Culture: An Exploration of Political Websites and Political Engagement

This thesis examines how far the use of online political information like political news websites, social networking sites, and online political humor websites relate to young adults\u27 intention to vote, political knowledge, political efficacy, and having political discussions with parents and friends. To better understand these relationships the O-S-O-R model (e.g., Cho, Shah, Mcleod, McLeod, Scholl, Gotlieb, 2009 McLeod, Kosicki, and McLeod, 1994) will be used as the theoretical framework. The survey data for this study was collected during the exciting and noteworthy 2008 Presidential Primary elections. Young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 years of age were asked questions related to their attention to political news information and the 2008 Primary Election. Measures include traditional media use, online political information, political discussions with parents and friends, political efficacy, political participation, political knowledge and political interest. Results show that, social networking sites (SNS) did not prove to be an important means for political information for young adults, during the 2008 Ohio Presidential Primary Election, despite the overwhelming attention they received. Second, television news remains a significant predictor of political efficacy, likelihood to vote and having political discussions with parents and friends. Third, political interest continues to be a driving force in young adults\u27 political engagement and interpersonal political communication. Additionally, participants between the ages of 18 and 24 years of age show frequent use of SNS (social networking sites) for political and campaign information more than those participants 25 to 29 years of age. Also, those 25 to 29 years of age are more likely to use news like websites for information more than younger young adults. Finally, results from this study support the O-S-O-R model in understanding young adults\u27 intention to vote, political discussions with parents and friends, political efficacy, and political k

Zoo-FISH in the European mole (Talpa europaea) detects all ancestral Boreo-Eutherian human homologous chromosome associations

Zoo-FISH with human whole-chromosome paint probes delineated syntenic association of human homologous chromosome segments 3-21, 14-15, 16-19, 4-8, 7-16 and 12-22 (twice) in the European mole (Talpa europaea, Talpidae, Eulipotyphla, Mammalia). These segment associations represent shared ancestral Boreo-Eutherian traits, half of which were previously not described for Eulipotyphla. The karyotype of the European mole acquired a minimum of 19 translocations and six inversions compared to the presumed Boreo-Eutherian ancestor. Copyright (c) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel

The PLATO End-to-End CCD Simulator -- Modelling space-based ultra-high precision CCD photometry for the assessment study of the PLATO Mission

The PLATO satellite mission project is a next generation ESA Cosmic Vision satellite project dedicated to the detection of exo-planets and to asteroseismology of their host-stars using ultra-high precision photometry. The main goal of the PLATO mission is to provide a full statistical analysis of exo-planetary systems around stars that are bright and close enough for detailed follow-up studies. Many aspects concerning the design trade-off of a space-based instrument and its performance can best be tackled through realistic simulations of the expected observations. The complex interplay of various noise sources in the course of the observations made such simulations an indispensable part of the assessment study of the PLATO Payload Consortium. We created an end-to-end CCD simulation software-tool, dubbed PLATOSim, which simulates photometric time-series of CCD images by including realistic models of the CCD and its electronics, the telescope optics, the stellar field, the pointing uncertainty of the satellite (or Attitude Control System [ACS] jitter), and all important natural noise sources. The main questions that were addressed with this simulator were the noise properties of different photometric algorithms, the selection of the optical design, the allowable jitter amplitude, and the expected noise budget of light-curves as a function of the stellar magnitude for different parameter conditions. The results of our simulations showed that the proposed multi-telescope concept of PLATO can fulfil the defined scientific goal of measuring more than 20000 cool dwarfs brighter than mV =11 with a precision better than 27 ppm/h which is essential for the study of earth-like exo-planetary systems using the transit method.Comment: 5 pages, submitted for the Proceedings of the 4th HELAS International Conference: Seismological Challenges for Stellar Structur

A new method for the spectroscopic identification of stellar non-radial pulsation modes. II. Mode identification of the Delta Scuti star FG Virginis

We present a mode identification based on new high-resolution time-series spectra of the non-radially pulsating Delta Scuti star FG~Vir (HD 106384, V = 6.57, A5V). From 2002 February to June a global Delta Scuti Network (DSN) campaign, utilizing high-resolution spectroscopy and simultaneous photometry has been conducted for FG~Vir in order to provide a theoretical pulsation model. In this campaign we have acquired 969 Echelle spectra covering 147 hours at six observatories. The mode identification was carried out by analyzing line profile variations by means of the Fourier parameter fit method, where the observational Fourier parameters across the line are fitted with theoretical values. This method is especially well suited for determining the azimuthal order m of non-radial pulsation modes and thus complementary with the method of Daszynska-Daszkiewicz (2002) which does best at identifying the degree l. 15 frequencies between 9.2 and 33.5 c/d were detected spectroscopically. We determined the azimuthal order m of 12 modes and constrained their harmonic degree l. Only modes of low degree (l <= 4) were detected, most of them having axisymmetric character mainly due to the relatively low projected rotational velocity of FG Vir. The detected non-axisymmetric modes have azimuthal orders between -2 and 1. We derived an inclination of 19 degrees, which implies an equatorial rotational rate of 66 km/s.Comment: 14 pages, 26 figure

An asteroseismic study of the beta Cephei star 12 Lacertae: multisite spectroscopic observations, mode identification and seismic modelling

We present the results of a spectroscopic multisite campaign for the beta Cephei star 12 (DD) Lacertae. Our study is based on more than thousand high-resolution high S/N spectra gathered with 8 different telescopes in a time span of 11 months. In addition we make use of numerous archival spectroscopic measurements. We confirm 10 independent frequencies recently discovered from photometry, as well as harmonics and combination frequencies. In particular, the SPB-like g-mode with frequency 0.3428 1/d reported before is detected in our spectroscopy. We identify the four main modes as (l1,m1) = (1, 1), (l2,m2) = (0, 0), (l3,m3) = (1, 0) and (l4,m4) = (2, 1) for f1 = 5.178964 1/d, f2 = 5.334224 1/d, f3 = 5.066316 1/d and f4 = 5.490133 1/d, respectively. Our seismic modelling shows that f2 is likely the radial first overtone and that the core overshooting parameter alpha_ov is lower than 0.4 local pressure scale heights.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures, accepted in MNRA

A 3D study of the photosphere of HD 99563 - I. Pulsation analysis

We have used high-speed spectroscopy of the rapidly oscillating Ap (roAp) star HD 99563 to study the pulsation amplitude and phase behaviour of elements in its stratified atmosphere over one 2.91-d rotation cycle. We identify spectral features related to patches in the surface distribution of chemical elements and study the pulsation amplitudes and phases as the patches move across the stellar disc. The variations are consistent with a distorted non-radial dipole pulsation mode. We measure a 1.6 km s−1 rotational variation in the mean radial velocities of Hα and argue that this is the first observation of Hα abundance spots caused by He settling through suppression of convection by the magnetic field on an oblique rotator, in support of a prime theory for the excitation mechanism of roAp star pulsation. We demonstrate that HD 99563 is the second roAp star to show aspect dependence of blue-to-red running wave line profile variations in Nd iii spots

Subcellular heterogeneity of ryanodine receptor properties in ventricular myocytes with low T-tubule density

Rationale: In ventricular myocytes of large mammals, not all ryanodine receptor (RyR) clusters are associated with T-tubules (TTs); this fraction increases with cellular remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI). Objective: To characterize RyR functional properties in relation to TT proximity, at baseline and after MI. Methods: Myocytes were isolated from left ventricle of healthy pigs (CTRL) or from the area adjacent to a myocardial infarction (MI). Ca2+ transients were measured under whole-cell voltage clamp during confocal linescan imaging (fluo-3) and segmented according to proximity of TTs (sites of early Ca2+ release, F&gt;F50 within 20 ms) or their absence (delayed areas). Spontaneous Ca2+ release events during diastole, Ca2+ sparks, reflecting RyR activity and properties, were subsequently assigned to either category. Results: In CTRL, spark frequency was higher in proximity of TTs, but spark duration was significantly shorter. Block of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) prolonged spark duration selectively near TTs, while block of Ca2+ influx via Ca2+ channels did not affect sparks properties. In MI, total spark mass was increased in line with higher SR Ca2+ content. Extremely long sparks (&gt;47.6 ms) occurred more frequently. The fraction of near-TT sparks was reduced; frequency increased mainly in delayed sites. Increased duration was seen in near-TT sparks only; Ca2+ removal by NCX at the membrane was significantly lower in MI. Conclusion: TT proximity modulates RyR cluster properties resulting in intracellular heterogeneity of diastolic spark activity. Remodeling in the area adjacent to MI differentially affects these RyR subpopulations. Reduction of the number of sparks near TTs and reduced local NCX removal limit cellular Ca2+ loss and raise SR Ca2+ content, but may promote Ca2+ waves

PHOEBE 2.0 – Where no model has gone before

phoebe 2.0 is an open source framework bridging the gap between stellar observations and models. It allows to create and fit models simultaneously and consistently to a wide range of observational data such as photometry, spectroscopy, spectrapolarimetry, interferometry and astrometry. To reach the level of precision required by the newest generation of instruments such as Kepler, GAIA and the arrays of large telescopes, the code is set up to handle a wide range of phenomena such as multiplicity, rotation, pulsations and magnetic fields, and to model the involved physics to a new level